​It is hard to write about Easter Sunday - so much stays the same from year to year, and it can be such a known quantity. Of course, we expect to process in to the strains of Jesus Christ is risen today just as certainly as we process to O come, all ye faithful on Christmas Eve.It goes without saying that the music will be loud, joyful, and filled with plenteous alleluias! In many ways, Easter Sunday needs no introduction. We gather to celebrate the ultimate reason for our faith - the resurrection of Christ. Amid all the uncertainty and profound pondering in our religion, we can hold on to something. This "something" is reason for unending joy and shouts of alleluia. To that end, our music will contain all the familiar elements of an Easter Sunday at the cathedral, but it will introduce a few new things as well.

The prelude will feature violinist, Dr. Gosia Leska, and myself as pianist. If you come to church early, you will hear music by Mendelssohn, Handel, Debussy, and Thomé before the service even begins. Moving through the service, you will hear the choir sing Alleluia! Christ is Risen! by William Mathias (1934-1992) at the offertory. Listeners will notice that this piece is quite modern but still features many traditional elements. In the middle of the work, Mathias wrote a very involved organ solo interlude - to me it expresses the wild, unbridled joy of the resurrection very vividly. This is one of the best stylistic examples of 20th century Anglican church music. Moving toward Communion, you will hear Handel's I know that my redeemer liveth from The Messiah. Always a wonderful selection, this piece assures us of the reality that indeed, Christ is risen.

Our faith is full of "hard sayings," and it can be particularly attractive to become lost in rationalization and uncertainty. One thing is plainly clear on Easter - we celebrate the resurrection in all of its baffling wonder and majesty. Our music is designed to help us do just that.

I would be remiss not to thank all of our music ministers who have worked so hard to make this Holy Week beautiful. It is truly a labor of love, but rest assured that we receive many blessings for our efforts. I am very grateful to our Cathedral Choir members, Handbell Choir members, our staff violinist, Gosia Leska, my wife, Katie, and all who have worked to make our music possible this week. We are all grateful for our office staff and parish leadership also. Without their support, we could not function as a vibrant ministry. Easter is finally here. Let us rejoice and be glad! Rejoice in the certainty of the resurrection.